American record-holder Chris Solinsky has joined the field for the men’s 10,000 meters in the “Distance Night in Eugene” portion of the Prefontaine Classic on Friday evening at Hayward Field, meet director Tom Jordan confirmed Thursday.

The Friday night races, which will be open to the public free of charge, will consist of a men’s 25,000 and 30,000 meters race at 6:40 p.m., followed by the women’s 5,000 at 8:25 p.m. and the men’s 10,000 at 8:50 p.m.

The men’s 10,000 had been set up so that Ethiopian and Kenyan runners could impress selection committees picking teams for the World Outdoor Track & Field Championships later this summer. However, the expectation of a fast race rather than simply a tactical one — Jordan estimated something in the 26 minutes, 40 seconds range — has drawn some top Americans into the field, even with the USA championships three weeks away.

Earlier this week, former Oregon star Galen Rupp moved to the 10,000 — he’d been scheduled to run the two-mile in Saturday’s main portion of the Pre Classic — and Jordan said he learned from Solinsky’s agent Thursday morning that the Portland-based runner also wants to compete in the 10,000.

In a memorable race at Stanford last year, Solinsky set the American record of 26:59.60; in the same race, Rupp also went under the then-American record, running 27:10.74.